Seal for hydraulic turbines and pumps



June 10,1947. [n.mwv'

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June 10, 1947. n. LowY 2,421,341 slm. ro@ HYDRAULIC malus ma .Puurs ruga April s. 1944 l zrsnepwsneut z f u y' 2.5 2? 9 I n.4/ `5f' .1 INVENTOR y Aolvrf any l V v ATT , standing that Such dii'llcultles Patented June l0, 1947 l 'UNIT-Eo STATES PATENT opi-Fica snsnroanrnmmmc romaines roms Robert Loin, Philadelphia,

.I Pa., aasignor `to The f Baldwin Locomotive Wor a corporation of Pennsylvania i Application April s, 1944, Serial No. 529.343

" schim.. (ci. 25a-14s) This invention relates generally'to hydraulic turbines and pumpsof the typey having adjustable guicle van'es orfadjustable runner blades, or both,k and relates morev particularlyto sealing means between the oscillatory shafts .of such- V respective surrounding elements and their structure.

It has long been theuniversal practice' in the` hydraulic turbine and pump art to seal the shafts 'y of the guide vanes and adjustable runner bladeA by employing usual forms of friction type packing glands interposed. directly between the shafts and the surrounding member Such as a Such mechanical packings are frequently inthe form of Chevron packing in which a pressure element or sleeve is mechanically moved casing for the guide vanes or a hub forthe runner blades..

`view of one portion of means-for the guide vane shafts.

bolts to compress the packing material tightly against the shaft surface and against the wall of the packing recess. AIn addition.. to the mechanical complications of such devices there is considerable friction introduced and `furthe-r-` more the effectiveness of the packing gradually diminishes as it becomes worn thereby requiring periodic attention and adjustment. In view of the fact that usually of large magnitude'both in their physical hydraulic turbines are `In Fig;y 1, I have shown a rotary hydraulic machine .which for purposes of illustration may be considered to be `either a hydraulic turbine or pumpgbut which will be described as a turbine having arunner or. rotor generally, indicated at l of the well-known adjustable blade propeller4 type. This runner has a usual hollow hub 2 suitably `supporte'dlupon a vertical shaft 2' which is guided by bearings of a head cover structure 3 dimensions and horsepower and the fact that a great many guide vanes are required. sometimes as many as fifteen or more, and the fact that the scalable area of the adjustable runner blades may be 15 or 20 inches or ,more in diameter, it is seen p that the problem of providing adequate sealing l and pump elements aspects. Notwithfl were involved, the

means for hydraulic turbine has had some very serious supported through stationary stay vanes 4 from a lower supporting and speed ring structure S. Theheadfcover, hub and lower structure each constitute apart of the fluid passageway wall. Each ofthe propellervblades which are usually four or more in number is provided with an en'` larged hub "l, Fig. 2, and reduced pintlelrespectively journalled in` bearings in` the hub 2 as shown in Fig. 2. The blades are angularly adjusted by suitable oscillating mechanism l generally indicated at l but which need not art has nevertheless presistently adhered topits long establishedY and expensive as well as complicated method ,of packing A the V guide vanes and adjustable runner blades.

It is an object of my invention to provide in a hydraulic turbine or pump improved sealing meansior the guide vanes and adjustable runner blades whereby the same inexpensive and effective manner having uniform sealing qualities throughout its lifeE and minimum resistance to oscillation of y thesealed elements. Other objects `and advantages will bemore apparent to those following description of `the accompanying drawings in which:

will be sealed in a simple,`

skilled in the art from the Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional view of an l adjustable blade rotary ployng an adjustable ner and adjustable guide valles; Y

blade propeller hydraulic apparatusuemf-f AtYl-'ie runinner edge l be Vdescribed here as such VmechanismV is welllcnown in the art anddoes not per se constitute apart of mypresent'invention. The blade adjusting mechanism 0 must`be adequately lubri` catedand in order to avoid leakage of water from theturbine passage Il through' the clearance arounddisc 'l of the runner blades into the interior of runner hub 2, I have provided my improved sealing means which is permanently secured both tothe hub 1 and the blades [with no relative sliding surfaces vbetween which water can leak such as was heretofore `possible with the many types offriction packing glands. More specifically, I have provided a sealing member I2 of rubber, synthetic rubber; leather or other sultable elastic or flexible material. As applied to the runner blading the member I2 is preferably in the formvof an annulus whose outer edge portion is Vpositioned in a circular recess in runner hub 2 and suitably secured thereto by sectional keeper plates |3-and screws Il, Fig. 3, while the portion is secured tol the annular `access to the screws and keeper rings.

shoulder I of the runner blading by a keeper ring I6 and screws therefor. The keeper plate I3 closely surrounds a cylindrical portion of the runner blades at the shaft end thereof to fully protect the flexible `annulus l2 against' injury from any foreign objects such as ice, wood or the like that may flow through theV penstock into the turbine. Y

Inasmuch as the runner blades are oscillated through a limited angular range' and due to the fact that the annulus I2 has sufllcient radial depth between its inner and outer circular edges, it is seen throughout angular adjustment of the blades the flexible sealing member I2 will sufficiently flex, yield or twisteven though its innerl and outer ends are firmly secured in position. Hence, there is no possibility of any Water leaking into the interior of the runner hub 2. The lubrication of the blade operating mechanism is thereby-free from contamination or dilution. If necessary, the flexible annulus I2 may be of somewhat greater radial depth than the actual distance between the stem 1 and the recess in hub 2 A thereby providing ample material in the sealing member to accommodate itself throughout an- 'gular adjustment of the runner blading with gateoperating mechanisnigenerally indicated at 32. The shafts 30, as shown in Fig. 1. extend entirely through the head cover 3 and inasmuch as the turbine passage II is normally completely filled with water frequently under very high heads, there is danger of water leaking to the space above the head cover and flooding or otherwise wetting the operating mechanism to the detriment thereof. Various types of friction stuffing boxes with all the complications and expense incident thereto have long been used. To eliminate Y -the need of a stuftlng box with all of its attendant ends of the channel-like sealing member are reand 20 placed internally of the channel seal, I

have provided a removable filler piece 2| which allows the runnerblade and its shaft to be moved out of the hub a sufficient distance to permit free Thereafter the runner shaft may be moved axially into its bearings and the filler piece 2| inserted. In Fig. 5 a slightly different form of flexible channel seal 22 is provided having the reverse bendv23 placed inwardly instead of outwardly as in Fig. 4. The outer free ends of the channel are secured by keeper ring and screws 24 and 25 to thehub 2 and to an annular extension plate 26. This plate is secured at its inner ends to a ring 21 preferably provided with an annular curved surface 28 conforming to the radius of the reverse bend of the channel seal 22. The ring 21 together with extension plate 26 may be completely, assembled with the rubber seal 22 While the runner blading is entirely removed from the hub 2. To assemble the runner blades'in the hub it is only necessary to force the disc portion 'l of the runner shaft into the ring 26 so that it has not only a snug, leakproof fit therewith but also provides sufficient frictional contact so as to cause extension plate 26 to cscillate with the runner blades and thereby relatively move the outer ends of the channel seal 22.

In the arrangements shown in Figs. 6 to 8, I have applied my sealing means to the shafts 30 of adjustable guide vanes 3|, Fig. 1, which as well-known in the art, are oscillated by suitable complications and expense, I provide simple bores or openings 33, Fig. 6, in the head cover through which the guide vane shafts extend. A continuous envelope 34 or flexible material such as previously described and preferably arranged in a conical form terminates at its lower end at a radial flange 35 while its upper end is of cylindrical form 36. An annular keeper ring 31 securely holds the flange portion 35 on to the stationary vhead cover 2 while a suitable clamp 38 firmly ,and shaft. In case very high pressure is present in the turbine passage II it may be desirable to provide a supporting conical metal shield or collar 39 around the main portion of sleeve 34. This will prevent bulging of the sealing member in case water under high pressure accumulates within the interior thereof and yet the seal will have sufficient flexibility to allow free angular adjustment of the guidevanes. In case the water passage I I is subject to sub-atmospheric pressurev such as might occur in low head turbines and in pumps I can prevent collapse of the sealing member by providing an internal conical spacing member 40. The ends of the conical sealing member 4I may be provided with annular ring-like connections 42 and 43 which, if desired, v may be in the form of helical threads or straight annularrings but in any event any vacuum in the interior of collar 4I will cause the ends of the seal to be pulled in tightly against the annular rings or threads.

From the foregoing disclosure, it is seen that I have provided an extremely simple and yet highly Aeffective sealing arrangement for hyy draulic turbines or pumps in which a long estab-l lished practice of providing frictional stuffing boxes has involved considerable complications and expense.

It will of course be understood that various changes in details of construction-and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in a rotary hydraulic machine having a runner hub and angularly adjustable runner blades journalled therein, said blades and hub having relatively large annular surfaces normal to the axis of blade adjustment and both surfaces being located within the width of the runner blades adjacent said hub, a sealing member having a relatively flat but distortable annular sealing portion extending fiatwise in a plane normal to said axis between said annular surfaces, means for rigidly securing one edge portion of the sealing member to one of said surfaces, and means for rigidly securing the other edge portion of the sealing member to the other annular surface so that during angular movement of the blade the fiat portion of the sealing member is angularly distorted.

2.v The combination set forth in claim 1 further t characterized in that the means for securing the sealing member to its respective annular surfaces includes an annular keeper ring and threaded elements for clamping the ring and sealing mem- `ber to the annular surface.

at and radially nexible material having innerV and outer annular edges respectively rigidly connected to the annular surfaces so that upon anzular movement of the blade the annular member is radially distorted while remaining in its substantially nat condition.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said annular sealing member consists of a single thickness of substantially flat and radially iiexible material having inner and outer annular edges, one of which is rigidly secured to one of said annular surfaces from one side of the sealing member and the other of which is rigidly secured to the other annular. surface 6 that upon angular movement of the blade the annular member is radially distorted while remaining in its substantially dat condition.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized vin that said sealing member consists of an annular channel-like member having two annular` edge portions, and the means for securing said edge portions to the hub and blades includes threaded elements secured to the annular surfaces and positioned from the same side of the sealing member.

from the other side of the sealing member so ROBERT LOWY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Chilton ..-a May 6, 1941i 

